13412 [USN] U.S. Navy Minehunting Fleet Upgraded with Improved Sonar Capability

[NOTICIARIONAVAL]

U.S. Navy Minehunting Fleet Upgraded with Improved Sonar Capability

14:46 GMT, January 27, 2012 SASEBO, Japan | The first installation of
the AN/SQQ-32(V)4 minehunting sonar upgrade began Jan. 11, on USS
Guardian (MCM 5), in Sasebo, Japan, by engineers from Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Panama City, Fla.

Designed to meet the modern challenges of mine detection and
classification, the new system is a high-frequency, wideband upgrade
to the currently used AN/SQQ-32(V)3 sonar. This upgrade will improve
sonar detection performance in high clutter environments, increase
instantaneous area search rate for stealthy targets, and provide
improved target resolution imagery. These combined sensor improvements
will address identified capability gaps and provide warfighters with
the best capability available to fight and win in the littorals.

"In 2006, the government and the University of Texas team began
development efforts, resulting in an engineering development model
capability demonstration on USS Sentry (MCM 3) in 2009," said Donna
Carson-Jelley, mine warfare program manager for Program Executive
Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS). "We now see all of that hard
work culminating in the first production installation on MCM 5 two
years later. This sonar upgrade will provide our Sailors with state-of-
the-art mine detection capability, enhancing their capability for
detecting mines and saving our Sailors valuable mission time."

The Navy verified that sonar system performance met preliminary
requirements during factory acceptance testing in September 2011,
which supported the decision to proceed with the next phase of
evaluation. Subsequently, the first production unit completed in-water
testing in October 2011. These combined tests confirmed that the lead
production system met or exceeded the required performance standards.

This installation is planned to be completed in April. Installations
are scheduled for seven other MCMs in the Navy's 5th and 7th fleets
through fiscal year 2015.

PEO LCS, an affiliated Program Executive Office of the Naval Sea
Systems Command, provides a single program executive responsible for
acquiring and sustaining mission capabilities of the littoral combat
ship class, as well as legacy mine warfare systems.